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Wednesday, 28 December 2016

I am currently reading a book, Honeycomb Kids, that pretty much sums up all my thoughts on our childrens' future and what we, as parents, should be doing to ensure our children are able to face a changing world. It is well worth reading as I feel that our children will be more scared facing a future they feel they are unprepared to confront. Many people tell me that it is being depressing and gloomy to talk about such topics but I feel it is the exact opposite. If we feel prepared, we can face the future with confidence.

Food is an important part of the planning and preparing puzzle, if not the most important. So I have been reading lots of books on real foods, wholefoods, etc. But many of these books rely on foods that simply will not be available to us in a locally produced food system. Such as coconut oil, which most healthy recipe books use substantially in recipes.

So one of my plans for 2017 is to begin a recipe collection in which all the recipes use produce that I can grow myself or is currently locally available.I would be interested to hear your thoughts and any recipe/substitution ideas.

Tuesday, 27 December 2016

This is a very interesting article from Morag Gamble at Our Permaculture Life.Interesting as the newspaper is the next to last layer to be used, rather than the first or bottom layer as in most no dig methods. I have always placed the newspaper on the very bottom so I will try this method next time I build a garden bed and see the difference.

These are the three garden beds I made earlier in the year, using the 'traditional' method of newspaper on the bottom. The compost on the top has dried out and needs topping up already, whereas the newspaper on top method sounds like it might 'protect' the new soil more.

I would recommend checking out the Our Permaculture Life blog. So much information!A great place to start would be this post - the best posts for 2016.

There has been a lovely gentle rain falling all day today, which is just what the garden needed. I am looking forward to sitting down in the next few days and making some garden/homestead plans for 2017.

Saturday, 24 December 2016

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a New Year filled with joy and happiness.

Thank you for sticking with me this year through my computer glitches, less than wonderful times and disappearances from this blog. I love 'meeting' you all here in blog land and look forward to many more chats in 2017.

Wednesday, 14 December 2016

While I have been on my little blogging 'holiday', I have started studying for my Master Aromatherapists Diploma. I am really loving it and am finding it so empowering to be able to take care of my own and my family's wellness naturally.

I have always been interested in this area and have been using it for a while, but thought I would like to spend some of my free time(!) studying in a more official capacity.So interesting - I could talk for hours about it. I am such a science geek that I love all the analysis of the various essential oils, but I won't bore you with that.

I am looking forward to 2017 being a very productive and special year.

I know, I'm a bit early to be talking about this, but 2017 is an open road stretching ahead of us - let's make it a fantastic journey!

Tuesday, 13 December 2016

Our read aloud this week has been James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl.

It must be the fourth or fifth time that I have read this one aloud and it is always so enjoyable. Roald Dahl is a master. I remember loving The Twits when I was younger and of course, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

And soon our peaches will be ripening, unless those pesky parrots get to them first. There are normally enough for both of us to enjoy!

So I thought I'd share a peachy recipe today!

Cinnamon Peach Smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup Plain Greek Yoghurt or coconut yoghurt

3/4 cup Frozen Peaches

1-2 drops of Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil

1/2 tsp maple syrup (if you feel it needs a bit of sweetness)

A few drops of vanilla (optional)

Instructions

1.Combine all of the above ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Monday, 12 December 2016

Are you saying 'woo hoo, I love Christmas' or are you just trying to keep calm and not think about how much needs to be organised before then?

I have been thinking handmade Christmas gifts. And then, guess what?! I left it too late, as usual. I know there are so many wonderful people who have been posting a handmade gift a week on their blogs and have it all under control. That is not me! I keep hoping that one year it will be me, but so far, no go! I'll give 2017 a try.

Luckily, we don't do millions of gifts, just a small something for adults, mainly it is for the children. But I am trying to make it my tradition to gift handmade or recycled/secondhand (which as we all know, doesn't have to mean a rubbishy gift!) and to do this, I think you need a plan in place. Otherwise, you get stuck doing the last minute rush to the shops to just buy anything.

I am making this elephant for quilt for my granddaughter. Her room is decorated with elephants and owls, so I was happy to find this cute fabric.

And not much else! I am just terrible!

I would love to hear what you are planning (or already made) for Christmas gifts.

We use these quote all the time around here, from one of my favourite movies ever.

And I am so terrible!Have you heard me say before that I am back and I will be 'good' this time and not get distracted and forget to keep my blog up to date? Pretty sure I have heard that more than once!But once again, life got in the way and I have been neglecting this space. We have had a not so great couple of months and are just getting back into the swing now.

I hope you have all been well and happy and I PROMISE I will try much harder from now on.

Welcome to the Tiny Toadstool Cottage

I am a stay at home mum to 5 darlings. I hope to share our lives as we Waldorf craft, knit, sew, cook and homestead on our 8 acre farmlet, and read in any time left over. I love all things vintage (my girls call me old-fashioned!) and am a fan of Tasha Tudor. I am also passionate about our earth and doing all we can to help to make this a better planet for us all by learning to live as simply as possible.